In January 2011, Robert “Bobby Z” Rivkin started feeling a roving pain in his body that eventually settled in his elbow and landed him in the emergency room. Turns out it was a heart attack, one so severe doctors placed Rivkin in a medical coma and inserted three stents in his heart.

After a long recovery, Rivkin was inspired to start his own charity, My Purple Heart, and launch an annual concert to benefit it and the American Heart Association. “A Benefit 2 Celebrate Life” returns for its second year Saturday, March 9, at First Avenue.

Last year, Rivkin reunited his old band, the Revolution (minus Prince), and delighted a packed house at First Avenue. This year, he has Princess, a novel act featuring actress Maya Rudolph and her longtime pal, Gretchen Lieberum. Princess is a Prince cover band. It’s an idea the duo kicked around for years and finally brought to fruition last fall when they sat in with the Roots on “Late Night With Jimmy Fallon.”

At First Avenue, Princess will be backed by the Roots’ Questlove, some former bandmates of the Purple One (Andre Cymone, Dez Dickerson and Dr. Fink) and musicians from Mint Condition and Alexander O’Neal’s backing group. That same superstar group will perform another set with “surprise celebrity guests,” including “The Voice” vet Nicholas David Mrozinski.

It’s a charity event, so tickets are spendy at $65 for general admission and $150 for VIP treatment, which includes early entry and a pre-show party. Questlove also will perform a DJ set Friday, March 8, in First Avenue’s Record Room. The $25 tickets for that show also benefit Rivkin’s My Purple Heart and the American Heart Association.

CHANGES AT THE CURRENT

Rhymesayers rapper P.O.S., aka Stefon Alexander, just landed a high-profile gig on 89.3 The Current. He will host the new weekly show “P.O.S. Is Ruining the Current,” a cheeky reference to his 2006 single “P.O.S. Is Ruining My Life,” starting March 30. It replaces Kevin Beacham‘s “Redefinition Radio,” which will morph into a new weekly hip-hop program, “H2 on the Current.” On that show, Beacham will be joined by Rhymesayers president Siddiq. P.O.S.’ show won’t just feature hip-hop but instead will “showcase his many musical influences.” “H2” will air at 10 p.m. Wednesdays starting March 27.

John Moe‘s radio variety show, “Wits,” will take a weekly 9 p.m. Sunday spot on the Current starting March 10. Live “Wits” shows resume March 15 at the Fitzgerald Theater when the new season opens with guests Paula Poundstone and Robyn Hitchcock.

Finally, the Current’s Minnesota-centric “Local Current” streaming station will add two shows beginning the week of March 24. A locally focused “H2” will debut alongside the new “Duluth Local Show,” featuring music of Duluth, the North Shore and the Iron Range. For more details, see TheCurrent.org/local.

IN THE CLUBS

Local supergroup Gramma’s Boyfriend is a loose-knit band featuring singer/keyboardist Haley Bonar, keyboard/guitar player Jeremy Ylvisaker and drummer Luke Anderson. They’re often joined by other familiar local faces. The band will celebrate the vinyl release of its debut, “The Human Eye,” with a gig Saturday, March 9, at Icehouse. This is one worth getting to early. The opening act is Ginkgo, the new project from Tapes ‘n Tapes mainman Josh Grier. Grier wrote and played nearly everything on Ginkgo’s upcoming album, with TNT’s Jeremy Hanson filling in the gaps on drums and electronics. The pair will be joined by Jake Hanson, Rob Skoro and Adam Switlick for what will be Ginkgo’s first live performance.

Another week, another Pink Floyd cover band is in town. Brit Floyd includes former members of the most famous Floyd tribute band, the Australian Pink Floyd Show, performing a three-hour concert with note-for-note re-creations of five full album sides from “Dark Side of the Moon,” “Wish You Were Here,” “Animals,” “The Wall” and “The Division Bell.” The band played Mill City Nights the first time it rolled through town and now graduates to the State Theatre on Thursday, March 14.

Pop music critic Ross Raihala can be reached at 651-228-5553. Follow him at Twitter.com/ RossRaihala.

A Minnesota native, Ross Raihala joined the Pioneer Press as pop music critic in 2004, after stints at The Forum in Fargo, N.D., and The Olympian in Olympia, Wash. He covers local and national music as well as some theater and other arts and entertainment topics. His favorite part of his job is reviewing, and live tweeting, Twin Cities arena concerts. And, yes, he saw the same show you did.

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